Hepburn, Beaufort fined for melee

HEPBURN and Beaufort have been sanctioned for their involvement in a melee that caused their senior clash to be abandoned on Saturday.

The Central Highlands Football League has handed down immediate and suspended fines.

CHFL administrator Diane Ryan told The Courier that board members met last night to view video footage and discuss facts of the incident before coming to a decision on penalties.

Ryan said the senior teams had brought the league into disrepute.

She said the board wished not to disclose the dollar figure of the fines, but was glad the matter had been resolved.

"It was disappointing and I think the events that unfolded in some ways were due to a matter of circumstances. We are just glad a resolution has been reached and we can move on," Ryan said.

Ryan added that no individuals had been sanctioned by the league.

Beaufort president Michael O'Connor said the club was happy the whole incident had now come to an end.

"Obviously we accept the sanctions imposed by the league and we look forward to moving on and concentrating on what it's all about, which is mainly playing football and presenting ourselves as a well-rounded, community-based club," O'Connor said.

Hepburn president Jason Dooley was unable to be contacted today, but former president Jason Olver expressed a similar view to O'Connor.

"We are glad it has finally come to an end and both clubs can move on. There's no ill-feeling between either party and there hasn't been all week," he said.

"We look forward to round three against Gordon."

The Central Highlands breaks over Easter, with round three to get underway with two Anzac Day games on Friday, April 25.